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Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight At The Florida Museum of History
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The Florida Museum of History | | This past weekend, Black Wings, a Smithsonian travelling exhibit, landed in the Museum of Florida History. It portrays American aviation through the lens of the African American experience. The bravery and determination of all those young men and women forever changed the face of our nation. It’s amazing to think that a historical look at American aviation, one piece of the social equality movement, could tell such a compelling story. The Grapevine went to check out the exhibit to gain some perspective on our history. | | 
Bessie Coleman | It is split up into six sections that chronicle the evolution of aviation. It’s told through the personal stories of exceptional men and women who set out to break down racial barriers. Starting off with the first African American woman to receive her pilot’s license, Bessie Coleman, the exhibit goes step by step in showing the actions of these pioneers and the reactions from the public. Newspaper clippings and quotes cover the exhibit, offering inspirational statements and patronizing headlines. It realistically captured sense of the hesitation held by the public. | | The Tuskegee Airmen played a pivotal role in the progress that black men made in our armed forces. Prior to the success of the Tuskegee Airmen, blacks in the military were routinely placed in menial roles, deemed unfit for assignments of military importance. After these soldiers made their marks in the sky, they opened up many doors for their fellow Americans to have the ability to follow their dreams of aviation or other military endeavors. | | The exhibit will run through Black History Month, all the way up to April 22nd. On the February 2nd (Thursday), the museum will be having the grand opening of the Black Wings exhibit with historian and author, Valada Flewellyn, as guest speaker. Having published works on the lives of African Americans in the south, her historical and artistic background offers beautiful insight into their complicated past. While donations are happily accepted, there is no entrance fee to the museum. It is open to anyone interested in experiencing our state’s history instead of just reading about it in books. | 
Tuskegee Airmen | | The Museum of Florida History, Division of Cultural Affairs, is located in the R. A. Gray Building at 500 South Bronough Street, in downtown Tallahassee. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday and holidays, noon to 4:30 p.m.; and every third Thursday from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. While at the Museum, take time to browse in Florida's History Shop and enjoy lunch or a snack at Fat Sandwich café. For more information, contact 850.245.6400 |
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